


I've got your back

by ItsYaBoySora



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Anxious Good Boy, But they're both a little thirsty, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, One's Anxious, One's Stubborn, Post-Time Skip, Strong Woman/Weak Man, there's only one bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-11-28 21:34:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20973398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsYaBoySora/pseuds/ItsYaBoySora
Summary: Ignatz and Leonie set out on their journey around the Fodlan countryside and get more familiar with each other along the way.





	1. A Picturesque Start

**Author's Note:**

> I got oddly inspired to write these two after reading a great Hildaude fic (https://archiveofourown.org/works/20126116), I dunno why, but they just clicked for me all of a sudden.

“Wow! This room is much bigger than I was expecting.”

Leonie walks into the room and sets her bag on a chair near the door. A few moments later, Ignatz shuffles in.

“Oh wow! When we first got to the Inn, I didn't expect much, but this is great!" His gaze passes over the room, inspecting and taking in every inch of it. "Uhm, Leonie? There’s only one bed.” He rubs one of his cape tassels nervously, shifting in place awkwardly.

“Oh that’s no problem. I’ll use my pack blanket and sleep on the floor, or in a chair. I’m used to it, so don’t worry. It's only for one night anyways.” She smiles wide, creasing the edges of her eyes.

She's probably slept in much worse conditions too. At least, that's what he convinces himself so he doesn't feel guilty.

The room is nice, given that they’re near the deep woods of Daphnel territory. It looks recently furnished and well kept, a sign of a burgeoning economy after the end of the war. The road to the Faerghus has been busy, so they both agreed to take a more scenic route, both for Ignatz’s paintings and Leonie’s sanity. Tomorrow, they begin their journey in earnest, so tonight will be the last time he sleeps in a bed for a long while.

“Well, at the very least, you should grab some pillows from the bed. I only need one after all!” He sets his bag down on the foot of the bed and reaches for a pillow, casually fluffing it some before handing it to her.

“Aww, thanks! I was just going to use some old clothes for a pillow, but this is much better!”  
She sets the pillow on top of her bag, puts one leg up on the chair and begins removing her shin guards. As buckles unsnap and leather slides through loops, Ignatz realizes he's never seen her doff her armor, usually finding busy work elsewhere to give her some privacy. He realizes he’s staring at her undressing and immediately snaps around, moving back to the bed to unpack his things.

“So, ah…” his words slip out as he tries to make small talk. “The mercenary life was pretty rugged, huh?”

Leonie gently stacks her shin guards and moves on to the armor on her thighs. “Well yeah, not a lot of need to stay in one place for too long. Gotta keep going where the job needs you, y’know? I’ve slept in worse places, for sure. I'd probably take the woods over a mercenary camp any day honestly.”

Ignatz unpacks his paints and brushes, laying them gently on a table by the bed, but he leaves the canvases rolled up in his bag, for now. He pulls his teddy bear partially out of his bag before second guessing himself, and quietly pushes it back in. He'll wait until she's asleep. He puts the bag on the floor and sits on the edge of the bed, legs dangling off the side. He’s never been tall, but the high bed frame makes him feel like he’s at Garreg Mach again.

“I’m sorry you had to live like that Leonie. The worst thing I had to deal with these past few years was my parents, I guess.” He folds his legs over each other and swings them back and forth. His gaze falls back over to Leonie as she doffs her armor.

"Well, I chose to be a mercenary, so it didn't really bother me." Her shoulder pads and arm guards are neatly placed in a pile next to the rest. She turns towards Ignatz, unfastening her breastplate. "I'm glad you decided to come out here with me Ignatz. To be honest, I didn't think you were would take me up on it. But, the war's over right? Time to start living our lives."

Ignatz kicks his feet and smiles at her. "I'm glad I could surprise you! I won't lie, it was a hard decision for me. You were right, back at the monastery. My parents don't agree with my choice and probably never will, but I have to do what's right for me."

"So did you actually use the kidnapping story? That was just a joke," she says as she finishes undoing the last cinch on her chestpiece. Her armor falls away, and he sees her like he's never seen her before.

Vulnerable, mortal.

Her tunic is covered in dark crimson bloodstains that surround hand stitched repairs. Fabric barely holds together in spots from years of stress and stretching. It's her experiences, it's her failures. He'd always considered her an unmovable bastion of strength. Now he can see what it costs.

He's lost in thought, so he doesn't see her wrap her arms behind her and grab hold of her tunic. She starts pulling it over her head when he realizes what's happening.

"waa-aa-AH!" Ignatz immediately turns on the bed to face the wall, his legs awkwardly folded underneath him. He snaps his hands to his face to cover his peripheral vision.

"What? Is something wrong?" He hears the fabric fall to the floor.

"I... you're changing and it's not proper for me to see. I'll give you some privacy." His face feels feverish, his hands clammy.

"Oh, that's all? You're going to have to get used to this if we're going to share a room. I'm going to have to see you change too, you know?"

He's really, really glad she can't see his face.


	2. Shades of Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's glad they didn't hurt him. He gently massages her arm as they walk, which she finds oddly reassuring. She steals a glance at him and sees the strain on his face, even though he's trying to hide it.

"Shit."

Leonie painfully sucks in air through her teeth. She clutches her side and limps along the path, using her lance as a walking stick. Her blood trickles between her fingers and down her side. Ignatz is lying on the road ahead of her, but before she says anything, he bolts up and runs over to her.

"By Seiros, Leonie! Oh no Leonie, are you ok?" His face is full of panic and fear, his eyes darting to her wound, then up to meet her eyes. He appears unharmed, thankfully. She sighs a breath of relief, but it turns into a cough.

"Yeah, it's worse than it looks. It's not deep, it's just in a bad spot. Feels like a really big papercut! Trust me, one of 'em has it worse." She reaches out and puts her free arm on his shoulder and slowly slips it around to his other side as she hobbles up to him. "I might need a bit of help walking."

"Anything you want." He wraps his arm underneath her shoulder and lifts her gently. It's been a while since she had to rely on someone else like this. "Leonie you- you didn't need to go after them. It was just my bag, nothing of value was really lost."

"But, your paints have value to you. Oh! And your paintings!" Her breaths between words hurt, but she doesn't let him know. She doesn't want to worry him. "It's my fault, I should have been more aware. I mean, bandits out here? I was expecting things to be a bit more quiet if we were off the main road." She knows she can't make it back to town in this state, not before nightfall. Even with Ignatz helping, her gait is slow and shallow. The knife had caught her right under her ribcage, right where her armor stops. She's going to have words with her armorsmith. Regardless, she won't let it happen again.

"No it's my fault, the reason we're taking the scenic route is so I can paint it. I'm sorry I didn't bring my bow either, I would've been able to help you. Maybe they wouldn't have tried robbing us if both of us were armed."

She's glad they didn't hurt him. He gently massages her arm as they walk, which she finds oddly reassuring. She steals a glance at him and sees the strain on his face, even though he's trying to hide it. The weight of her armor alone must be heavier than anything he's had to lift since the war ended. This wouldn't be a problem if she had her horse, and the bandits wouldn't have gotten away, but she decided to leave it behind so that they could spend more time together. She wanted to relax.

"I saw a cabin back a ways. It's not hunting season so, it should be empty. We can stop there." She draws another pained breath, her legs grow weak and she leans on him more. "Thank you Ignatz."

"You don't owe me any thanks Leonie. This is the least I can do for you."

His smile is so soft and calming, as always. It makes her chest feels warm.


	3. A Painter's Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As he sits on the floor, he inspects his handiwork. The wound is still bleeding slightly, but the sutures appear clean and sturdy. Then, his eyes start to wander. He hadn't noticed Leonie sweating, probably from the stress of everything, and the light cascading in from the open door makes her skin glisten. Her abs tighten as she sits in the chair, panting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little spicy.

Ignatz knocks on the heavy wooden door a few times. “Hello? Is anyone-“

Leonie uses her free arm to push the door open. The cabin is dark. Cobwebs mark the corners of the room and a thin layer of dust coats the furniture.

“I don't know if this person survived the war.” Leonie mutters weakly. “It’s too dusty. Maybe they just abandoned it.”

Ignatz helps her over to a chair and gently sets her down. Blood still trickles from her side, rolling off the chair and into the floorboards. Now that he can see her better, he notices she's gone pale and fear spreads across his face.

“There's some alcohol and rags in my bag. I'm gonna need you to disinfect the wound.” Leonie tries to undo her breastplate, but she winces from pain and her hands fall into the chair. “Ignatz. I need- I need your help.” Her words are strained and softer than usual.

He’s next to her in an instant, hands flying over leather straps and cinches, repeating the process he'd seen the day before. The breastplate clangs to the ground and her posture relaxes. The side of her tunic is soaked in her blood and the site causes Ingatz's anxieties to soar.

“I think the blade was poisoned, I should've stopped bleeding by now. You’re going to have to stitch me up. There’s a sewing kit in my bag.” Her face appears resolute, despite her pale complexion. “I’m sorry Ignatz.”

His anxieties keep trying to take hold of him, but he distracts himself by remembering how he used to help treat injured students at Garreg Mach. That’s all this is. He can do this. She'll be fine.

The alcohol and sewing kit are easy enough to find, but he needs rags for a compress, so he starts rifling through cabinets and drawers in the cabin to find something clean. He'll leave a note and some coin for the cabin owners.

Wait, his money was in his bag. His bag that got stolen. Gods damnit.

A pained yelp pulls him back into the moment. He turns to see Leonie, who is struggling to take her pauldrons off, her left arm barely mobile at this point. He moves back to her, supplies in tow.

“Please Leonie, you need to rest. I'm here to help you.” He puts the supplies on the ground next to him and sits up, doffing the rest of her armor, stacking it next to her breastplate. The bloodied shirt is next, and he gently pulls it off her before tossing it into a corner of the room.

“Thank you." She sounds exasperated, but relieved. "Now, give me the bottle.”

He uncorks the bottle and hands it to her, only for her to immediately take several hearty swigs. She wipes her mouth and motions the bottle back to him. "Trade you for the cork."

He takes the bottle and puts it next to him, putting the cork in her hand while raising an eyebrow. "What do you need the cork for?"

"For when it really hurts."

He pulls a long stretch of thread from the sewing kit and threads the needle, placing the bundle in his lap, then he puts a rag over the mouth of the bottle and upturns it. Alcohol spills onto the floor as he wrings it out. “Ready?”

She puts the cork in her mouth and looks at him nervously, nodding, “Uh huh”.

Her wound makes an awful squelching noise as he applies pressure. She flinches and stomps her foot on the wooden floor, causing dust to kick up. Her nails dig into the arms of the chair and she whimpers. After a few seconds, her posture relaxes and her breathing turns into short, irregular breaths. She mumbles through her clenched jaw “Gods, that’s the worst part."

"Not the stitches?" Ignatz takes the needle into his and prepares himself for his task. Of all the things he'd imagined doing on this trip, this was not among them.

"I've pricked myself enough times sewing, I guess." She straightens up in the chair and takes a deep breath. "Ok. I'm ready. Let's do this."

Ignatz wipes the wound one last time and tosses the rag by the tunic, he puts his hand on her side and readies the needle. "Ok. I can do this."

"I trust you Ignatz."

And with that, he gets to work.

Being a painter has kept his hands dexterous over the years, making the needlework easy. Leonie squirms a few times when he has to pull on the thread, but he's gentle, following up any discomfort with "I'm sorry." He ties off the suture and cuts it, letting out a sigh of relief as he falls back onto the floor. The wound still needs to be wrapped in fabric to keep it compressed, but the hardest part is out of the way.

Well, so he thinks.

As he sits on the floor, he inspects his handiwork. The wound is still bleeding slightly, but the sutures appear clean and sturdy. Then, his eyes start to wander. He hadn't noticed Leonie sweating, probably from the stress of everything, and the light cascading in from the open door makes her skin glisten. Her abs tighten as she sits in the chair, panting.

He snaps to and fumbles around trying to find the clean rags he set aside. His heart races.

"Everything ok Ignatz? You're not squeamish, right? I just figured-"

"O-oh, no. I'm not. I just need to wrap the wound quickly, that's all."

He realizes he has to get close to her. He needs to wrap the cloth all the way around her abdomen. Her glistening, well defined, sweat soaked-

He's gripping the fabric so hard he could tear it. He tries to refocus, and walks back over to her. "Can you sit up a bit? You can stay in the chair, I just need to wrap the sutures to keep pressure on them. It'll help stop the bleeding."

"I know silly." She pushes herself up in the chair and now he's inches away from her naked flesh. It's really, really hard to focus now.

He gets down on his knees in front of her and pulls the fabric around to her back, his fingers anchoring it against her spine. His other hand keeps it taught against as he wraps it around to her front. As he passes over the stiches, Leonie grabs his shoulder and squeezes it intensely.  
"Sorry," she pants. "It still hurts some."

"No no, I'm sorry." The next loop is faster and lighter, and her grip loosens. The loop after that even more so.

"The mercenary doctors were never this kind. Or gentle." She moves her hand to his face, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. He stops wrapping and looks up at her.

"Leonie..." He starts to say something, but he can't muster up the courage for what he wants. "Are you... cold? I can grab you a blanket once I'm done."

"Or thoughtful," she chuckles. She starts running her hand through his hair. "You know, I've never mentioned it, but I like this haircut better.

"Me too," he laughs and continues wrapping, eventually tucking in the last of the cloth into the itself.

Leonie slowly undoes her bracers and slips off her gloves, tossing them onto the floor with the rest of her clothes. She tries to bend down to take off her boots and winces, Ignatz gently moves her hands away and takes them off for her.

"You should take the bed tonight, I can sleep on the floor." He grabs her boots and places them neatly next to the armor pile, then he stuffs the sewing supplies back in her bag. "I can try and clean this up as much as possible tonight."

She stands up and starts to unbutton her pants, causing ignatz to avert his gaze. "Look, I'm not going to sleep in bloodied clothes and I don't have anything else comfortable to sleep in."

"Oh, I'll lend you some of mine. That... were in my bag. That was stolen. I... guess I don't have any clothes either. Ah." His mind starts buzzing with poor excuses to stay in the clothes he's currently wearing. Maybe there's some spare clothes in the cabin, it'll just be another thing to pay back. Maybe some nightwear even! He'll just slip into those, relax, grab his teddy bear and-  
Everything from today comes crashing down all at once.

The teddy bear had been a gift from his parents when he was young, when he used to have trouble sleeping. He's slept with it every night since. It's always been a part of his routine and, it's gone now. He collapses to the floor and weeps.

"Ignatz? Ignatz are you ok? What's wrong?" She hobbles over and kneels down next to him, then starts rubbing his back. It wouldn't be Leonie if she wasn't pushing herself, even while she's injured.

"It's... silly. It's stupid." He takes off his glasses and wipes his eyes, his tears staining the sleeves of his shirt. "You've gone through so much throughout your life, even today. And yet here I am, being consoled by you while- while crying over a teddy bear. It's so selfish, and I just- I'm sorry."

"Heeey, hey. It's ok. We all have something like that. I'd be like this if I ever lost my necklace you know. I'd probably be worse!" He sniffles and laughs a bit. In some ways, she hasn't changed, which comforts him. "Look, what if- well I'm not as cuddly, but maybe you could pretend I'm your teddy bear tonight?"

"I... thank you Leonie." He wipes a tear away and turns to her, putting his glasses back on. He doesn't know if it'll work, but he knows he wants some form of comfort tonight.

And, he really wouldn't mind it being her.

"I'm going to get out of these bloody pants ok? I'll give you some privacy so you're not embarrassed getting naked in front of me."

She turns around and walks back over to the chair, spinning it around so it's facing the wall before she takes a seat. Ignatz takes a deep breath before walking over to the bed and takes off his shoes and shirt, placing them in a neat pile at the foot of the bed. He climbs in and a few moments later his pants shoot out from under the sheets, onto the floor.

"O-ok. I'm done." His voice falters and cracks.

"Great, because I am tired." Leonie stands up from the chair and slowly walks towards the bed. The sunset streaks across the room behind her, illuminating her, complimenting her. Years of battle have taken their toll on her, and Ignatz realizes that behind each one of those hand stitched repairs, there were scars. He's awestruck by the beauty of her strength. The image burns into his mind, knowing he'll paint it one day.

She lifts the covers of the bed and slips in, then rolls on her side so that her back is facing him. There's a giant scar across her back, stretching from the corner of one shoulder to the bottom of the other.

"Leonie, what... what happened?" His fingers trace along her scar, his palms gently massaging her back.

"Oh. That. Well, every scar is a permanent reminder of a lesson." She sighs and pushes into him, cooing at his touch.

"What lesson was this?" He continues massaging her, his hands venturing away from the scar and to her sides.

"Be careful who you trust to watch your back." The words are tinged with pain, and his heart sinks.

"I'm... I'm so sorry."

"It's ok. It happened a few years ago, so it's basically ancient history." She shifts and pulls a pillow down under her head. "Do you rub your teddy like this? Because, if you do I might actually be jealous."

"Oh, ah- No it's more like-"

He slowly wraps his arms around her, fingers gently dancing across her skin as they make their way to her stomach. Her whole body shudders at his touch and she moves her hands to his, interlacing their fingers before pulling him closer. The sensation of skin on skin sends his heart racing. He feels himself harden against her, snagging awkwardly in his underwear, every movement causing him to ache deep in his pelvis. She arches her back and presses against him, rolling her hips slowly. The ache grows and his cock throbs in response.

It overwhelms him. He pulls away from her and turns over, biting the inside of his lip so hard he tastes copper.

“I-I’m sorry. I’ll just, sleep over here, on this side of the bed.” His ears burn, his face flush from arousal and embarrassment. He’s never been this close to anyone before, let alone naked. The room is quiet, he wants to apologize, but he's afraid that would make things more awkward. Anxiety eats at his thoughts, and he doesn’t notice her movement.

This time, she presses up against his back, sliding her arms underneath his and tracing her fingers down to his hips. She encompasses him, and he’s suddenly reminded of their height difference. He tenses momentarily, like prey in the jaws of a hunter, but eventually he exhales deeply and relaxes. Her arms hook around his hips and she pulls him close to her.

“Is everything ok?” The heat of her breath caresses his ear, and her words help him relax.  
“It's- I’m just not used to touching other people or…” He slips his arms around hers. “Or other people touching me.”

“It's ok, I just thought that... Nevermind. I want you to be comfortable. Let me know if I ever get to be too much, ok?” She lightly nuzzles the back of his head, her lips gently resting against the nape of his neck.

"I... Thank you. That means a lot." His eyes feel heavy and his breathing slows. He sinks into her and barely mumbles, "Goodnight Leonie."

“Goodnight Ignatz. Sleep well.” The words kiss their way onto his skin, but he’s already asleep.


	4. Grabbing a Few Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She can't fool herself, or how she feels. Who would have guessed Ignatz? People thought she'd end up with Raphael which, to be fair, she understands, but he's not her type. And, well, everyone had a thing for Claude, right?

Morning dew and soft ground help silence her footfalls as she traces her way back through the forest. She made it back to where the fighting took place easily, but the hard part is ahead of her. The blood from her victim should still be visible. Less than a day since it happened, so nature shouldn't have wiped away the trail. She has to lean on her spear for balance as she bends down to inspect the ground, wincing as she feels her sutures press against the compress.

But, she wanted to do this for him. Something would be better than nothing, right?  
She'd be upset if his things went to waste, that's it.

She chuckles to no one in the forest. She can't fool herself, or how she feels. Who would have guessed Ignatz, of all her classmates? People thought she'd end up with Raphael which, to be fair, she understands, but he's not her type. And, well, everyone had a thing for Claude, right?

There's the trail.

She stands back up and slowly limps along through the forest. The early morning is less than ideal, but she makes do with what she can.

Her line of thought shifts over to the Bandits. Maybe, upon seeing one of their own severely wounded, they upturned the bag, took everything of value, and ditched the rest. However, that would imply that they wanted to help their comrade, and bandits that help each other usually aren't the type to poison blades. Some hope is better than no hope, though.

The teddy bear meant something to him and-  
And she didn't ever want to see him sad again.

Her thoughts and the pain at her side distract her, causing her to nearly trip over a tree root. As she steadies herself, she notices the trail has led to an odd pile of leaves under a nearby tree. She hobbles over and brushes the leaves away only to see her quarry buried underneath, long dead.

"Shit." She didn't think the blow would be fatal.

She thought the trip would be a break from killing people.

The teddy is in the bandit's hand, and its placement indicates it was an afterthought. The other bandits probably took this as an excuse to dispose of what they didn't want or need, including their comrade. She moves more leaves out of the way and finds Ignatz's bag as well as a few articles of clothing, a container of white paint, and a single brush. She says a prayer for the dead and begins to head back.

It's still early in the morning and even in her state, she should be able to make it back before he wakes. She wants to surprise him and give him a great start to his day. She smiles just thinking about it.

In school, they weren't close at first. She was focused on training and that wasn't exactly his strongest suit, but one day she stumbled across him as he was painting. When she was younger, she loved painting but gave it up to help more around town. It might not have been for her but after seeing him paint, she knew it was for him, and it was what he needed to do. That's why she joked about kidnapping him, so he had an excuse to pursue his dreams.

That, and she might get to spend more time with him.

"Gaaah!" The trees rustled as birds dispersed around her. She should tell him. She needs to tell him.  
But there’s no way he feels the same, right? People never saw her as a girl in school, and the other mercenaries said she was one of the guys and…

She needs to do what she wants to do. She straightens herself up against her spear and tries to focus. She knows she saw sunflowers. Maybe, given the region, there are beets here too. Perhaps woad.

"Alright Leonie, you've got this. It'll be just like running errands back at school."


	5. A Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Leonie, I love you.”
> 
> Her head snaps back, her face moving from pain to confusion. “What?”
> 
> He feels his chest sink with the weight of a thousand suns, then his brain decides to remind him that he’s only wearing a bedsheet. He’s never felt more vulnerable in his entire life, but there's no turning back now.
> 
> “I said I love you Leonie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is admittedly the spiciest thing I've ever written, which is incredibly tame tbh.

Ignatz wakes up to find himself desperately clutching a pillow. A sigh of relief escapes him when he realizes it's not Leonie, then he notices that the bed beside him is empty.

“Leonie?” He rolls over and reaches for his glasses. 

Her voice reaches him from the other side of the room. “I’m here Ignatz. Don’t worry, I just got up early is all.”

“You should be resting Leonie. I can get breakfast ready! I'll do whatever you need me to.” He slides the glasses up his nose bridge and the room comes into focus.  
Leonie is dressed and seated at a table, facing him. His bag is next to her, some of his clothes placed neatly to the side, a single brush resting on top of a paint container and… his bear. He gasps and shoots out of the bed, wrapping the bedsheet around his waist as he sprints over to her excitedly. “ThankyousomuchLeonie, I don’t know where you found it or how you found them but I can't ever pay you back for this and-“

“Woaaaah! Slow down there buddy! All I did was go and see if the thieves tossed anything they didn't want and-“

He slides his hands across her cheeks and kisses her so hard she nearly doubles backwards out of her chair. Before she can blink, he breaks off and scoops up his bear, hugging it and inspecting it.

The chair legs slam against the floor as Leonie sits in stunned silence, mouth agape.

“Oh hey, what's this? Sunflowers, beets, and, I think this is woad. Wait, did you… did you things so I can make more paints?” Ignatz turns back to her, and she hasn’t moved. “Leonie? Are you alright?”

She blinks slowly a few times and then turns to look at him, her face flush. “You… you kissed me.”

“What? No, that’s silly. I couldn’t have done that.” He doesn’t think he did, but his heart jumps at the thought. Then his mind catches up.  
Oh gods, did he?

“Wait, what do you mean you couldn’t have done that?” Leonie’s expression sours. “Why couldn’t you have kissed me, is it because I’m not girly enough?”

“No, Leonie, It’s that… it’s-,“ but he can't find the words to say. The fear of rejection grips him, preventing him from expressing how he feels. But, what if he did just kiss her? She was blushing, so maybe she liked it. Or maybe she was embarrassed. Oh gods did he kiss her? He inhales deeply, steeling his resolve, but she cuts him off before he can say anything.

“You know what? Save it. I’ve heard it all before Ignatz. Some of the mercenaries would just say whatever it took to get me in bed, and then the next morning, all of a sudden I was back to just being ‘One of the guys’ and 'I think of you more as a friend' and-and-and,” she stands up and clenches her hands to her side, eyes watering as she looks away from him.

“Leonie, I love you.”

Her head snaps back, her face moving from pain to confusion. “What?”

He feels his chest sink with the weight of a thousand suns, then his brain decides to remind him that he’s only wearing a bed sheet. He’s never felt more vulnerable in his entire life, but there's no turning back now.

“I said I love you Leonie.”

She shifts uncomfortably on her feet, crossing her arms in front of her. "You're just saying that to make me feel better. You don't mean it. You can't."

"I do. I... have for a while. I've had feelings for you since we were in school, actually." He runs one hand through the back of his hair while another one holds tightly to the bed sheet. "I just, kept them to myself, in typical Ignatz fashion."

Her arms drop to her side and she slowly sits back down in the chair. She looks up at him, her face full of emotion. "Why?"

"Why... do I love you?"

She nods.

"You've always been supportive of me, of my art. More so than my parents. You... never judged me. Even in the middle of war, you were there for me. I... also think you're breathtaking."

She chuckles, and they share awkward glances. He could swear she looked him up and down.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Well, during school I was very anxious-"

"You're still pretty anxious." She smirks. 

"Look, I didn't say anything for fear of rejection. And during the war... well, I thought you might be seeing Raphael. I overheard you two talking about sharing each other’s burdens and it seemed like-"

This time, her laughter fills the room. "Raphael? He is sweet, I'll give him that but, no. He's not my type." She shifts in the chair, leaning forward. "But, I could say the same for you. What about all that time you spent with Ingrid?"

"No no! That was more, this feels strange to say but, mother-like? She was supportive of my painting but also very... overbearing at times. Actually, I've haven't even held someone's hand..." Ignatz makes his way over to the bed and sits down on it. This definitely not how he expected his morning to turn out.

"Yeah, she was overbearing some- wait. Wait, wait wait wait. Did you say you've never even held hands with anyone? Not with any girls from the academy?" She wipes the edges of her eyes on her sleeve, and an incredulous smile spreads across her face.

"I haven't, I promise! I guess the only thing I've done was kiss someone, which I apparently don't even remember." Now this is the most vulnerable he's ever been. He wants to shrivel up underneath the bed sheet, never to be seen again.

She looks at him with soft eyes, her face turning flush. "Do you want a do-over?"

If he had been drinking something, he would have spit it out. Instead, he squeaks out "a-a what?" as he desperately tries to avoid eye contact with her. His heart skips a beat at the idea.

Leonie gets up from her chair, slowly making her way over to him. "A do-over. A second kiss. It's either a yes, or a no."

"I-I-I-"

"Yes or no." She's standing in front of him now.

"Seiros forgive me, I do" His gaze slowly traces up her body to meet hers, and she towers over him.

"Good, because I really wanted to." She gently pushes him down into the bed with one arm, using the other to hold herself above him.

He's panting with anticipation and nerves. His hands fumble at his sides before desperately grasping the bed sheet into his fists. She climbs onto the bed, her knees at his hips, and he feels encompassed once more.

She moves first, slipping her hand from his shoulder up the back of his neck. Their lips and she presses into him forcefully, sending a tingle of electricity up his spine. He tenses and she slides her hand into his hair, causing his eyes to roll and a moan to escape him. Passion overtakes him and he presses back against her forcefully, stifling his own moan but eliciting one from her. They arch into each other as they take turns dominating the kiss, his hands freeing from the sheet to grip her back tightly. 

They break, panting, desperate for air.

"Leonie-"

And she's on him again, this time she grabs a handful of his hair and pulls it, turning his head upward. She plants small kisses on his cheek, then down his jaw and his neck, nibbling occasionally as she goes. He moans her name and tightens his grip on her back, pulling her roughly into him. His sex hardens and presses into her, and she shifts her hips on top of it, rocking rhythmically against it. She bites his collarbone and her free hand moves to the sheet between them, pulling it down.

"Wait Leonie, wait, wait. Oh go-oods" he moans, bucking against her slightly. "Please wait." He slides himself out from under her, bringing her hips up to his stomach, and his hands slip around her waist.

She lets go of the bedsheet and sits up on him, heaving and flush. "Did I-" she swallows after catching her breath, "Whew. Did I do something wrong? I didn't hurt you did I? I got a little... worked up."

"No no, you didn't. This is just, a lot for me. And... and..." he feels lightheaded suddenly and his fingers start to tingle.

"Hey. Hey, it's ok. Breathe Ignatz." She moves off of him and runs her fingers through his hair, gently caressing him. His whole body shudders. "Breathe." She puts her hand on his chest and he inhales sharply before exhaling slowly, a wave of calm rolling over him as he does. "There you go. Listen, we can take things at your pace, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. But... I'm glad you said yes. I wanted this."

He pulls himself up onto his elbows and raises an eyebrow. "You did?"

"I did... I do. I think I just buried my feelings out of fear of rejection. I'm not exactly delicate or feminine or anything." She eases herself down onto the bed next to him slowly, wincing when her side touches the bed. Her arm slides across his bare chest and she nuzzles her head under his chin.

He lays back down onto the bed in stunned silence over everything that's happened. She has to nudge him gently a few times before he gets the hint and wraps his arm around her. "Sorry. I just, I never thought this would happen. I've always been anxious and awkward and Seiros knows I've thought about this."

"You've thought about me naked?" she whispers coyly into his chest.

"Yeah. Wait I didn't-" He shifts underneath her awkwardly and he can feel her smile.

"Ignatz, I'm kidding, it's fine." Her hand taps his bare chest several times. "This is nice, y'know? Most guys just wanted to have sex and then that was it. I've... never done this."

"You've never... done what?" Ignatz's hand moves to her back and gently runs his fingers up and down the length of her spine. She lets out a soft moan and snuggles into him more.

"Cuddled. Talked. Enjoyed one another. Most of the other mercenaries were just, eugh. I think Jeralt spoiled my opinion of how they're supposed to be." She starts gently raking her fingertips up and down his side. "So what're we going to do today?"

"Oh, right, the day has barely even started!" He pauses and thinks for a while, his hand shifts from her back to her hair and he strokes it lovingly. "Well, why not just... do more of this?"

She props herself up on her side, wincing slightly. "But, there's so much we need to do, and-"

"You're injured, you shouldn't do anything Leonie. One day won't hurt us right? We don't have anywhere to be."

"Yeah. You're right." She lowers her head to his chest, resting on one of her arms, and slowly raises her eyes to his. "So, when did you fall in love with me?"

His heart jumps into his throat, but he swallows it. He might squirm as he answers all the questions she has, but he won't regret any moment he spends with her.


	6. Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She drops her head onto the pillow and stares at the ceiling, before rubbing her face with her hands. It still doesn't feel real, any of it. The kiss, the breakfast, the flirting, his... his love. Everything just keeps rolling over in her mind until it becomes unbearable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there were originally only supposed to be 7 chapters but when I got to the end of this one, I realized it might be 8. Not 100% sure yet.

The warmth of the morning sunlight pulls Leonie away from restful dreams. She stretches and reaches her arm across the bed to grab Ignatz, but he’s not there. The smell of cooked meat and eggs hits her nose, and she rolls over to find him setting breakfast at the table. It's the first time he’s been up before her, but it’s a welcome surprise.

She slides out of the bed lazily and puts her pants on before waddling over and wrapping her arms around him. “You know, no one's ever cooked me breakfast before. I'm glad you did though, I’m starving.” She nibbles his shoulder playfully before finding the seat opposite him and sitting down.

“Ah! I can assure you, I’m not a tasty meal. Barely any meat on my bones after all." His smile gives her butterflies. She could look at it all day. "I can’t believe no one’s ever cooked breakfast for you. It felt like people were falling over each other in school to show off their culinary talents.” He takes a napkin off the table and spreads it across his lap. “Oh! I also washed and folded your clothes this morning, I think I got all the blood out as best I can, at least. And I stitched the tear in your shirt too.”

Her chest fills with excitement and warmth. They look at each other sheepishly, and her eyes soften to match his smile. She slides her hand across the table and pulls his fingers into hers. “How did you have time to do all this? It's- it’s so much Ignatz. I can’t even begin to tell you how this feels.”

“You don’t have to! You’ve already shown it in… a few ways.” He blushes deeply and looks down at the table. She smirks and her mind wanders to their passionate 'first' kiss, making her ears thump along with her heartbeat. Underneath the table, her legs wring against each other, aching for resolution she didn't get last night. 

“I can... show you some more if you want.” She takes a bite of eggs and smirks at him, raising her eyebrow suggestively as she slowly pulls the fork from her mouth. He squirms in his seat and wow, what is this feeling? She's never felt desired like this, never felt like she had any sort of sexual appeal. 

The floorboards creak as his chair slides further under the table. Ignatz clears his throat, “U-uhm. I-,” then slowly and awkwardly shoves food in his mouth. She wants to tease him again, to feel that rush once more, so she stretches her arms wide and behind her, ignoring the pain in her side as she does so. His gaze turns upwards slightly and he immediately chokes on his food slightly before coughing back to safety.

“Oh gods, I understand Hilda now.”

“What?” Ignatz takes a few sips of water.

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud is all.” Leonie chuckles to herself. The rush is pouring over her, energizing her, filling her to the brim with confidence and vigor and... Her legs wring again under the table. She hurriedly finishes her breakfast, trying to banish her thoughts.

“Breakfast was delicious Ignatz, thank you. So! What’re we going to do today?”

“Well, I need to change out your bandaging. After that you are going to rest while I do some chores.” He collects the plates from the table and puts them into the dish basin, then makes his way over to his bag where he produces a roll of cloth.

She's takes a moment to get out of the chair, but when she does she makes a beeline to intercept him. “Hey! No, I’m not useless. I can still help you do things. I can’t just sit here all day while you work. I won’t.” She snatches at the cloth, but he darts it behind his back.

“Ok, let’s swap out these bandages.” Without skipping a beat, he swaps the roll between his hands and brings it in front of him again.

She reaches again, but he flicks it under her arm and catches it with his other hand. “Hey!” Her brow wrinkles in frustration. He’s not supposed to be faster than her.

His hair flops around as he shakes his head, “Nuh uh. I’m doing this. You’re going to rest.” 

“Grrrrr." Her muscles tense and the growl goes silent, her eyes trained on him intensely. He takes a step closer to her and she pounces, simultaneously grabbing his arm and the bundle in an instant. “Heh. Easy as-“

She doesn’t expect the kiss, and it breaks her confident footing. He takes the bandages back from her as she’s dumbstruck. “That's not-, not… fair…”

The innocent, earnest expression he gives her cuts straight to her heart. “Leonie, please, let me do this for you. It… it will help me get more comfortable with touching you.”

“Oh. OH OK! I got it.” She drapes her arms over his shoulders, linking them behind his neck. “Go ahead then, doc.”

He laughs nervously. “Thank you. I promise I won't keep you bedridden all day. I’ll let you help me with something later.” His finger slips underneath her bandages and she inhales sharply, trying not to focus on the warmth of his touch. She jumps at the first distraction her mind stumbles into.

“Oh! We can make paints! I got all those ingredients after all, and it won't be stressful on me. We can both just sit and relax and work on them together.” She slips her hands inside the back of his collar and lightly scratches his back. To her surprise, he doesn't flinch or blush at the contact.

He tosses the old bandage aside and starts to work on replacing it. “That’s a great idea!” He beams with excitement, but after a few moments his smile scrunches on one side. “I don’t have any canvasses or papers though, so I guess I still won't be painting anytime soon.”

“How about you paint on me? That way we can make sure the paints work.” She watches his expression slip back to excitement, then it becomes as red as the beets she picked. The rush hits her again, feeling like ice water pouring down her spine before it trickles through her.

“I… think that’s a great idea. Need to make sure the paints hold and don't bleed.” He looks down as he finishes wrapping her, nervously trying to avoid eye contact. “Well, there you go. I’m, just going to… go do the dishes.”

He starts to turn but she pulls herself into him, her face only an inch from his. "Before you go..." She steals a tender kiss from his lips, then breaks the embrace only to see him stunned this time. "Sorry Ignatz. Couldn't help myself." There's an extra spring in her step as she makes her way over to the neatly folded stack of clothes. She takes a shirt from the pile and throws it on, then makes her way back to bed and crawls in. 

They spend the next few hours talking to each other about anything and everything in between. What their lives were like during the war, their favorite foods, whether or not Raphael would marry the first person who asked him. She hadn't talked with anyone like this since she was in school. It was nice, and it gave her an excuse to just relax, and observe. She had noticed Ignatz before but now she drank in every little detail about him. When he laughed, she studied the dimples he got in his cheeks. When he was deep in thought, she loved the little poses he made, sometimes he cupped his hand under his chin and placed his pointed finger on his cheek. Other times, he'd scrunch his face and focus on some innate object with fierce intensity. The day passes quickly, and it's afternoon before she knows it.

"Alright Leonie, I'll be back in a bit. I have to go out and scrounge some more supplies to make paint, and some more food to cook, but I shouldn't be gone long." He smiles and makes his way to the door, but turns back. "Please don't do too much while I'm gone. I know you'll want to do something but, don't put any stress on your side still."

"Oh, alright, I promise. But you have to promise to be safe, ok? Take my spear with you, at least, just in case." Every bone in her body is fighting her, pushing her to go with him. The bandits could still be out there, somewhere. What if he came across a bear? What if- No, he can take care of himself. But, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something happened to him while she was here, resting in bed.

"I promise you. I'll be back before nightfall. I- I love you." And he's out the door, before she can respond.

She drops her head onto the pillow and stares at the ceiling, before rubbing her face with her hands. It still doesn't feel real, any of it. The kiss, the breakfast, the flirting, his... his love. Everything just keeps rolling over in her mind until it becomes unbearable.

"UGH." She tosses the bed covers aside and starts pacing around the room. Why does she feel like her insides are churning? It's all so overwhelming, it's like her world has changed in the span of only three days. She tries to hold onto facts in an effort to smooth herself out. They're taking a journey together, they got robbed, he took care of her, she got his teddy back for him, he kissed her, he said he loved her, and she said she loved-

Oh gods. She loves him. 

Her face feels warm and she realizes she's breathing harder than she would after a workout. She grips onto a chair and leans against it, trying to slow herself. The knots in her stomach are worse than before and her knuckles turn white as her grip intensifies. She loves him.

And she's never told him.

The revelation tears at her.   
She wanted to see him succeed as a painter.  
She wanted to see him happy.  
She wanted to keep him safe.   
She always kept close to him during the war.   
She wanted to be by his side afterwards.  
She wants him, and he wants her.


End file.
